Improvement in bridges



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. HOUTS.

Bridge.

Patented Dec. 9, 1879.

INVENIOR 79% Zfi ORNEYS.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

B. HOUTS. Bridge.

No. 222,499. Patented Dec. 9, I879.

WITNESSES INVENTOR NJPEIERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPHH. WASHINGTON, D C.

. plates.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN HOUTS, OF JUNOTIOlST CITY, KANSAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN BRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 222,499, dated December 9, 1879; application filed August 30, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN Hours, of

Junction City, in the countyof Davis and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Bridges, of

which the following is a specification.

My improvements relate to combined girder and suspension bridges wherein the girders rest at both ends upon the abutments and are sustained between the ends by cables.

The invention consists in combining girders V and grooved abutments with cables, screw-bolts having nuts and hooks, suspenders, braces,

, and stays, as hereinafter fully described.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bridge constructedin accordance with myinvention. Fig.

girders O, that are connected at their ends to girders B, and these cross-girders C also support theinner string-pieces, c, intermediately of the abutments.

The girders B and their superstructure are supported between the abutments by side cables, d, that pass from the abutments beneath the hooks e, that are upon the ends of the suspender-plates f. The suspenders'f are placed a suitable distance apart beneath the girders B, and each plate f is sustained by a separate cable, d, at each end. The hooks e are formed at the ends of screw-bolts, which pass through plates f and are retained by nuts beneath the By these means the cables at each side and at each plate f may be tightened or loosened, as required. There are also inner cables, 61, that pass from the abutments beneath hooks e on the cross-girders O.

The cables (1 d all pass completely around girders B.

It will be seen that each length of bridge between the suspenders f is supported by a separate cable at each side, and the cables will beincreasedin number, according to the length of bridge.

The tops of the abutments A are formed with grooves 11 for the cables 01, to retain them separate and prevent them from slipping sidewise.

The girders B are braced lengthwise by the crossed braces 70, that are connected to the string-pieces a b of each girder. The structure is stayed laterally by staybraces l, that are connected to abutments A at Z, and extend diagonally beneath the bridge to the central suspender-platef, to which the braces l are connected.

To stiffen the structure transversely there are braces m, that extend diagonally from the top of one girder B to the bottom of the other, and the cross-girders C are stifi'ened by braces corresponding to braces 70.

I am aware that it is not new to secure tie-rods under adjustable clips of the vertical posts, or to secure cables to the abutments, or to sustain girders by the abutments, or to cross tension-rods in transverse planes, or to use crossing stay-rods, or to combine interior cables with cross-girders, or to use braces extending from the top to the bottom girders and crossing each other but What I do claim as new and of my invention is- The combination, with abutments A, of cables d d, screw-bolts having nuts and hooks e e, suspenders f, braces k, and the stays Z, all as shown and described.

BENJAMIN HOUTS.

Witnesses:

B031. 0. Rrznn, J AGOB B. OALLEN. 

